Cleavage is a sensitive area — physically and even as a fashion choice. When it comes to women, the more you show, the bolder and more controversial you seem. But, when it comes to men, it seems you can always go a button lower because, clearly, male cleavage aka He-vage is getting sexier by the day.
Sexism aside, I found it really interesting how women and men are more comfortable with He-vage than women’s cleavage. While showing off their biceps and shoulder muscles is a more conventional way of flexing masculinity, He-vage seems to be a more fashionable way to do the same.
It shows that you’re just as good with your manscaping tools as you are on a treadmill or with dumbbells. It’s a finer, classier and more sartorial display of masculinity. Hence, it has found more popularity with the younger generation, which is always on the lookout for new ways to break out of old gender stereotypes with panache. However, it’s not age-specific as middle-aged men have also hopped on this trend.
From deep neck kurtas to satin shirts with a plunging neckline, men are not afraid to flaunt their chest. Hair or no hair on the chest, this is a fine way of playing with different outfits. If you think about it, to flex your biceps and shoulder muscles, men needed tighter fabrics. But when it comes to flaunting the He-vage, the looser the fabric, the better it is. Hence, it’s a more relaxed way for men to look fashionable and fit.
Mind you, looser fabric doesn’t mean men can ease off on their fitness. For a well-sculpted He-vage, especially when it comes to necklines that plunge deeper than a man jumping off a cliff, your chest muscles and abs need to look good too. After all, a He-vage doesn’t look as good with a beer belly.
Connor Minney, co-founder of online strength-training platform GRNDHOUSE (grndhouse.com) told Telegraph, “If you want to grow a particular muscle group faster, you need to be training that muscle group twice a week. In those two sessions, you need to be training the muscle from different angles, say exercises in the incline position for the first and exercises that involve flat movement for the second. That way you’re going to encompass a broader range of movements for the chest, plus a higher amount of volume across the week, so your chest will grow in areas that perhaps it hasn’t been previously.”
The other way to achieve the perfect He-vage is via makeup or a spray tan. It’s all about creating the right illusion and looking like a Greek god has descended on earth.
For Indian men, Kurtas are the most unique way of flaunting a He-vage. The sanskaari boy can turn into a zaddy instantly if he pops open the buttons on top or wears a kurta with a cheeky neckline. Those who are not comfortable with too much He-vage can even add a few neck chains for a more trendy look.
The He-vage works equally well with western outfits like printed shirts open from the top for a beachy, carefree look.
However, it is becoming an increasingly popular red carpet look among celebrities as they experiment with different ways of flaunting the male cleavage. Some are modest by wearing sheer shirts layered with a blazer.
Others have a more in-your-face way of going about it — classic formal shirts (satin shirts are a hot red carpet choice) with the top buttons open, often accessorised with neckpieces. For a bolder look, some skip the shirt altogether and wear a blazer for a more full-bodied and sexier display of the male cleavage.
The He-vage is here to stay and gaining prominence among fashion aficionados. Would you dare to try it?
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